Air conditioner unit or sterilization light assembly and methods of operation

Abstract

An air conditioner unit may include a housing, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a compressor, a sterilization light assembly, and a controller. The housing may define an indoor portion and an outdoor portion. The housing may further define an exhaust outlet downstream from the indoor portion to exhaust air therefrom. The sterilization light assembly may be disposed within the indoor portion. The controller may be in operable communication with the indoor fan and the sterilization light assembly. The controller may be configured to initiate a sterilizing operation. The sterilizing operation may include directing activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion, detecting activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion, and directing activation of the sterilization light assembly to transmit an ultraviolet light emission within the indoor portion based on detected activation of the indoor fan.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An air conditioner unit for conditioning an indoor space, the air conditioner unit comprising:
 a housing defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, the housing further defining an exhaust outlet downstream from the indoor portion to exhaust air therefrom; 
 an outdoor heat exchanger assembly disposed in the outdoor portion and comprising an outdoor heat exchanger; 
 an indoor heat exchanger assembly disposed in the indoor portion and comprising an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan; 
 a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger to circulate a refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; 
 a sterilization light assembly disposed within the indoor portion; and 
 a controller in operable communication with the indoor fan and the sterilization light assembly, the controller being configured to initiate a sterilizing operation comprising
 directing activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion, 
 detecting activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion, and 
 directing activation of the sterilization light assembly to transmit an ultraviolet light emission within the indoor portion based on detected activation of the indoor fan, 
 wherein detecting activation of the indoor fan comprises monitoring a current to the indoor fan, the monitored current simultaneously powering the indoor fan and the sterilization light assembly such that the indoor fan is activated to rotate together with the transmitted ultraviolet light emission from the sterilization light assembly. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein intensity of the transmitted ultraviolet light emission is a variable intensity value based on a variable rotation speed of the indoor fan. 
     
     
       3. The air conditioner unit of  claim 2 , wherein the variable intensity value is proportional to the variable rotation speed. 
     
     
       4. The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein detecting activation of the indoor fan comprises sensing the current from a current sensor disposed on an electrical path to the indoor fan. 
     
     
       5. The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a metal mounting bracket supporting the sterilization light assembly within the indoor portion along an airflow path between an intake segment of the indoor portion and an exhaust segment of the indoor portion upstream from the exhaust outlet,
 wherein the indoor fan is disposed along the airflow path, 
 wherein the sterilization light assembly comprises an ultraviolet C (UVC) light source and lens casing sealing the UVC light source against the metal mounting bracket to prevent moisture from contacting the UVC light source, and 
 wherein directing activation of the sterilization light assembly comprises directing the UVC light source to transmit the ultraviolet light emissions between 200 to 280 nanometers within the airflow path. 
 
     
     
       6. The air conditioner unit of  claim 1 , wherein intensity of the transmitted ultraviolet light emission is a variable intensity value based on the monitored current. 
     
     
       7. The air conditioner unit of  claim 6 , wherein the variable intensity value is proportional to the monitored current. 
     
     
       8. An air conditioner unit for conditioning an indoor space, the air conditioner unit comprising:
 a housing defining an indoor portion and an outdoor portion, the housing further defining an exhaust outlet downstream from the indoor portion to exhaust air therefrom; 
 an outdoor heat exchanger assembly disposed in the outdoor portion and comprising an outdoor heat exchanger; 
 an indoor heat exchanger assembly disposed in the indoor portion and comprising an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor fan; 
 a compressor in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger to circulate a refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger; 
 a sterilization light assembly disposed within the indoor portion and directed at the indoor fan above a bottom half of the indoor fan, the sterilization light assembly being electrically connected to the indoor fan; and 
 a controller in operable communication with the indoor fan and the sterilization light assembly, the controller being configured to initiate a sterilizing operation comprising
 directing activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion, 
 detecting activation of the indoor fan to motivate air through the indoor portion, and 
 directing activation of the sterilization light assembly to transmit an ultraviolet light emission within the indoor portion based on detected activation of the indoor fan, 
 wherein detecting activation of the indoor fan comprises monitoring a current to the indoor fan, the monitored current simultaneously powering the indoor fan and the sterilization light assembly such that the indoor fan is activated to rotate together with the transmitted ultraviolet light emission from the sterilization light assembly. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The air conditioner unit of  claim 8 , wherein intensity of the transmitted ultraviolet light emission is a variable intensity value based on a variable rotation speed of the indoor fan, wherein the variable intensity value is proportional to the variable rotation speed. 
     
     
       10. The air conditioner unit of  claim 8 , wherein detecting activation of the indoor fan comprises sensing the current from a current sensor disposed on an electrical path to the indoor fan. 
     
     
       11. The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , further comprising a metal mounting bracket supporting the sterilization light assembly within the indoor portion along an airflow path between an intake segment of the indoor portion and an exhaust segment of the indoor portion upstream from the exhaust outlet,
 wherein the indoor fan is disposed along the airflow path, 
 wherein the sterilization light assembly comprises an ultraviolet C (UVC) light source and lens casing sealing the UVC light source against the metal mounting bracket to prevent moisture from contacting the UVC light source, and 
 wherein directing activation of the sterilization light assembly comprises directing the UVC light source to transmit the ultraviolet light emissions between 200 to 280 nanometers within the airflow path. 
 
     
     
       12. The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein intensity of the transmitted ultraviolet light emission is a variable intensity value based on the monitored current. 
     
     
       13. The air conditioner unit of  claim 12 , wherein the variable intensity value is proportional to the monitored current.